Step Up Transformers….Are they Worth the Trouble?

@cey what headamp does such for hana ML?

I can't say, I haven't owned a Hana cartridge since they were first introduced. I may have tried a Hana LV cartridge with a headamp but I don't specifically remember.

But in general, SUTs add some "flavor" to the mix. I think @pindac nailed it when he described what SUTs add as "richness of tone." Not that this is unpleasant; quite the opposite. I love that quality when a good MC cartridge is perfectly mated to an SUT and the rest of the downstream components. Think one of the really special Ortofon SPUs paired with an ST-80SE, A123 or one of the great FR units. Vibrant, high butterfat cream. A really good headamp can't match that, IMO. But it can shine in terms of speed and truthful fidelity.

Did I answer your question?

I did not read the whole thread but it points out that the options are pretty much endless. Make your life simple... Contact Dave Slagle at Emia.Tell him what you have and what you want to do and he can wind you an SUT that is perfect for your situation, copper or silver but in my limited experience you want silver. I believe he will let you audition a pair before you buy.

https://myemia.com/

Disclaimer:: not affiliated other than a happy customer

Buy the phono stage too if you can afford it... phenomenal. End game stuff

as an owner of an Emia phono and silver SUT, I recommend saving yourself a lot grief.  Just go ahead and get the silver SUT. Contact Dave Slagle, tell him what you have and what you want, and he will custom wind you the ideal solution. You will have an end game solution you will not regret

@br3098 the point of a good SUT that pairs up well with your MC id it brings out the best of your cartridge. 

A short signal path is, of course, a desirable thing. But let us not lose sight of the alternative here: a complex signal path full of components in a head amp or in the MC amplification stage of the pre-amp. Compared to that, an extra pair of interconnects and a pair of transformers are relatively simple and straightforward.

My phono stage isn't as grand as many, but there is no question in my mind that using its MM input with an SUT is better than using its MC input.